


Understanding

by Poisondog2



Series: Ducktales One-Shots [1]
Category: DuckTales (Cartoon 2017)
Genre: Depression, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Gen, Middle of night talks
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-19
Updated: 2019-04-19
Packaged: 2020-01-16 09:06:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,451
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18518293
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Poisondog2/pseuds/Poisondog2
Summary: Dewey gets up in the middle of the night to get a glass of water, what he finds though isn't anything he expected.





	Understanding

**Author's Note:**

> Had a bad day, which kinda fueled this in its entirety. (I'm sorry Launchpad if I'm feeling bad then you're joining me...)

Dewey liked to learn things, contrary to popular belief, but while his brother Huey focused more on things that could benefit him in many situations Dewey liked to learn about people: their hobbies, their interests, their favorite foods, their favorite songs, stuff like that.

Louie didn't like complete silence but didn't like it to be super noisy- he was very adamant about that after a few of their adventures- which worked nicely with Huey since he liked to hum a song while reading.

Huey liked softer music and didn't really listen to anything super loud or fast-paced, unlike their grunge/rock loving uncle.

Webby loved adventures, they all did, but because it was during these times that she felt really free and able to explore the world around. The young duck was always curious about everything she encountered and her grandmother felt a little guilty for being so protective over her. Things started to work out, fortunately, when the triplets and Donald came to live at the Mansion.

Mrs. Beakley preferred making her own tea with the ingredients she picked up at the store, liking to feel more in control with what she drank.

Dewey's Uncle Donald struggled to pronounce some words due to his speech impediment and would normally sulk or grow frustrated when he couldn't say something without the assistance of the triplets. He also a very talented artist, sketching things whenever he got the chance.

Scrooge played the piano whenever he thought nobody was around, always some classical piece that Dewey could never remember the name of, his fingers working over the keys as of he had written the song himself. The first time Dewey heard him play was when he was sick and had to stay back when his brothers and Webby went out shopping with Donald and Beakley. His uncle's expression was priceless, to say the least, but once the shock faded, and embarrassment held strong on his features, he invited the blue-clad triplet tp sit with him as he showed him a few keys of the song he was playing.

And Launchpad… well, Dewey didn't actually know much about Launchpad. He knew that the duck came from a family of stunt pilots, he enjoyed the fast food place _Hamburger Hippo_ , and that he liked the old cartoon _Darkwing Duck_ , but other than that he felt like that the duck was a stranger. Launchpad called him his best friend but he felt like he was failing that title with how little he knew about the perpetually happy pilot.

Dewey prided himself in knowing people and understanding them, but when it came to Launchpad… he wasn't really sure what to do if the pilot never really talked. He a knack for talking a lot, but never really saying anything.

_____

Dewey had awoken in the middle of the night thirsty, not usual but nonetheless bothersome. He carefully got out of his bed- being the center of their triple bunk bed- and climbed down the ladder.

The duck always noticed how eerie the Mansion felt whenever he walks around it at night because without the bustle of his family after an adventure or his family just hanging out it just felt… empty. He always wondered why his Uncle Scrooge had built the mansion so large.

As he maneuvered through the quiet home and making it to the kitchen he made sure that he didn't make too much noise as he fetches himself a glass of water. It felt like drinking pure happiness with how dry the duck's throat was and let out a satisfying “Ahh!” once he finished his glass. Filling up his glass for another round his ears picked up the distinct sound of… sniffling?

With his water in hand, Dewey followed the sound with confused curiosity, _‘Is someone crying?’_ His question was soon answered as he followed the sound to the glass doors leading to the backyard and seeing… Launchpad, hunched over the outside table, tears staining his cheeks as he cupped his hand over his eyes. Dewey also noticed wisps of smoke trailing from the duck's beak.

As he got closer, hopefully without being noticed, he could hear what Launchpad seemed to be mumbling, “God… shit… so useless… why am I so fucking useless?” The pilot kept muttering similar self-deprecating things about himself as Dewey reeled in shock. Launchpad, cursing? And why was he crying? What was wrong???

All of these questions filling his mind he didn't even notice that he got closer to the door, and he didn't even have time to react once he leaned on the slightly ajar door and it creaked. Launchpad whipped around, bloodshot eyes wide as he almost dropped the cigarette in his beak as it fell open, “D-Dewey? What are y-you doing up?”

“Better question, why are you crying?” Dewey had learned from his younger brother that when he was vulnerable that he tried to avoid anything directed at him. Dewey knew he had to be direct.

“W-What?? I'm… I'm not…” He furiously rubbed his eyes to clear his vision, “I'm not crying,” he lied as he threw up a failing smile, “I-I'm fine, really, I am!”

Dewey couldn't help but feel a little disappointed that Launchpad was trying to hide the pain he was obviously feeling at the moment. He wasn't sure why he was trying to hide it, but he was going to get to the bottom of it.

Before the pilot could say anything Dewey jumped into the chair next to him, “Launchpad, I'm your best friend, you don't have to lie to me.”

“But-”

“Launchpad…” he cupped one of his hands, “...please, talk to me.”

The larger duck's smile faltered at the gesture and Launchpad could feel his resolve collapse as Dewey waited for him to talk. He devolved into more ugly sobbing as he gripped at his hair.

Dewey's heart ached to see his friend crumble and couldn't formulate any words as he sobbed. The young duck hated the smell of tobacco coming from his friend's cigarette, but he knew that this wasn't the time to mention that as Launchpad let his hurt flow.

After about 20 minutes- and one finished cigarette- later Launchpad managed to recollect himself as he tossed away the cigarette bud, “...S-Sorry, I didn't mean to blow smoke in your face…”

Dewey shrugged, “It wasn't that much actually, you couldn't really breathe in a proper puff anyway.” This got a laugh out of the pilot, which felt like days since he heard it, “So… you ready to talk? It's okay if you aren't but I want you to know that I'm here for you.”

Launchpad smiled at the young duck, a real smile this time, “Yeah… I… I think I'm good to talk.”

“Okay, so what's up? This is probably the first time I've seen you cry and this is _definitely_ the only time I've seen someone smoke- even Uncle Scrooge doesn't smoke and that really upset my 'old man with a pipe’ idea I had before we met him!”

“Heh, yeah, that would've been cool to see…” Launchpad's expression fell into a saddened frown, “I didn't wake you, did I?”

“What? No, I was thirsty so I got some water, but that leads into my question: why are _you_ up?”

Launchpad furrowed his brows as if debating how much to tell the young duck, but after a minute or two he sighed, “I… had a nightmare.”

“A nightmare?” Launchpad nodded, “Do… you get them often?”

“No, usually not. I normally don't get them anymore since I have my pills, but I had run out today which really sucked and I thought I would be fine and I could just refill them tomorrow and… yeah, you can see how much that worked out.”

Dewey cocked his head, “Pills? What do you take pills for?”

A blush formed on the pilot's face, “For… um… I…” Launchpad avoided the triplet's eyes, “I take… antidepressants.”

“Antidepressants? But, wait…” Dewey was having a hard time processing this, “but you're always so lively, so outgoing, so… happy…” the young duck deflated a bit, “Is… that not how you normally feel?”

Launchpad cupped his free hand over Dewey's, “No, it is, I'm usually pretty upbeat, but… uh… some days are just… harder to be like that without help.”

Dewey wanted to know more about Launchpad, and that's what he was getting, “How long have you felt like this?”

“Since my late teens I think, my family went through some tough times when I was younger amongst, uh, other things. It's been pretty tough since.”

“And the smoking?” Dewey didn't want to make Launchpad feel like he was interrogating him, but he couldn't help his childlike curiosity.

Launchpad's blush returned and deepened, “That's… something I do when I feel really stressed out, which isn't often. This was the first time years that I've picked up a cigarette, again, sorry for smoking around you.”

“It's fine Launchpad I'm not worried about that I just…” Dewey struggled with what he was trying to say, but the slight squeeze to his hand told him that the larger dick understood what he was getting at. “So without your pills, you get nightmares?”

“I still get them, few and far between now, but when I do they usually aren't as… vivid,” Launchpad tool a shaky hand and ran it through his hair, “this one… hurt a lot more than usual.”

“What was it about?”

“Uh… we were on an adventure and I had crashed the Sunchaser- pretty normal occurrence- but when I looked back…” Launchpad's eyes fell from Dewey's gaze, “all of you were hurt.”

“All of us?”

“You, Huey, Louie, and Webby. I don't know what happened but you guys got hurt when we crashed… hurt bad. I…” tears fought to leave the duck's eyes again, but he willed them back, “I swear could still smell the blood covering you guys…”

“Launchpad…”

“And… and when I went to help your uncle's, they… uh… they had some very choice words for me. They started yelling at me, shouting about how could I hurt their family and how I should be ashamed and…” Dewey saw the pilot shale more as he thought about the dream more, “how I was a fuckup, accident-prone, how I should never be around other because I could hurt them too… that I was fucking useless and that someone like me shouldn't even be alive with how much damage I cause.” Tears started to stream again, “Useless… so _fucking useless…_ ”

“Hey, hey, Launchpad, stay with me!” He shook the duck, bringing him back before he succumbed to his thoughts again, “It's okay, you're okay, _I'm okay_ , my siblings are okay. You didn't do anything, it was just a dream.”

“I… I know, but it didn't help that they were kinda right. I could get you guys hurt and I don't think I could forgive myself if you did.”

“That's okay, do you know why?” Launchpad shook his head and before he could say anything Dewey dove into his chest for an embracing hug, “Because I trust you. I trust you to get my family where we're going and even if it gets a little… bumpy I believe that we'll all be okay in the end.”

Launchpad was shocked by this confession and he wasn't really sure what to do. Nobody really put their faith in him all too much because of how reckless he could be and…

_“Replace ye? Don't be daft, where would aye ever find a diver as crazy and dangerous as aye am?”_

And then it hit him, almost like a ton of bricks. He had forgotten about what Scrooge told him after the whole B.U.D.D.Y incident and only now realized what his employer meant: You can only match crazy with crazy. He was valued by Scrooge, and after all of the crazy shenanigans since then… he had _trusted him._

Broke down into tear for the third time that night as he wrapped his arms around Dewey match his embrace, careful so he didn't crush his best friend. 

“I'm always here Launchpad, and if ever need someone to talk to or if you just need someone to like just sit with you then I'm here, you don't have to go through this alone. I'm here, and if ever want to open up to everyone else- that might sound scary and you don't have to if you don't want to- they're here for you too.”

“I know… I know… thank you, Dewey.”

“And one more question before I head back to bed,” Dewey pushed off of Launchpad slightly to gaze seriously at the large duck, “have you ever hurt yourself?”

“W-What? No, I haven't…” Dewey's stern gaze shook him a bit, “I mean… I've thought about it before, but I haven't done anything. Promise.”

“Okay, I just want to let you know that along with everything else I've already said that if you ever don't feel sure what you might do just come get me, I'll be there to support you no matter what.”

Launchpad's heart bloomed and as a proper smile fully returned to his face, “Thanks, little dude… that means a lot. Now, let's get you back in bed before the sun starts rising.”

_____

Dewey prided himself in knowing people and understanding them, but when it came to Launchpad he didn't just understand him… he was there to help.

“Launchpad, be ready to take off when aye give the signal!”

“No problem Mr. McDee!”

It had been 3 weeks since Launchpad and Dewey talked and just as Dewey said he was always there for him.

“Hey Launchpad,” Dewey greeted as he walked over to the pilot, “you doing okay today?”

The pilot nodded, “Yeah, I'm feeling pretty good today, thanks for checking in.”

“What are best friends for?” He gave Launchpad a quick hug before rejoining his siblings.

Best friends… that's was he called Dewey, but now… that felt like it _really_ meant something now.

Whenever Launchpad felt particularly down, unsure of himself, or really concerned about what he might do he always went to fetch Dewey wherever he was: Up in his room, watching t.v. with his siblings, lounging in the houseboat, it didn't matter. When he needed Dewey he was there. Every. Single. Time.

He told Dewey that he was glad to have a friend like him and the blue-clad triplet shook his head, “We're friends Launchpad, but we're also family. Family is there for each other and we never turn away family.”

Yep, Launchpad was glad tp have someone like Dewey in his life.

With him here, those nightmares didn't seem all too scary anymore.

**Author's Note:**

> First ever One-Shot I've done, how was it?


End file.
